Protests in Batumi over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

The ship, which left Sochi five days ago, arrived at Batumi port from Turkey early Thursday morning. Passengers had one day to see Batumi.

The protest at the port of Batumi started in the evening when the passengers returned to the ship.

Demonstrators protested Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and expressed outrage at some Russian passengers’ answers to Georgian journalists’ questions.

Before that, Georgian opposition television channels had interviewed several passengers who had arrived on the liner.

One of the tourists said that she had been in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia. According to her, Russia has liberated Abkhazia from Georgia.

Another tourist expressed the opinion that “we are the Soviet Union. We are a united country.”

“Today is 2023, and we know what they did in 2008,” one protester expressed his indignation over the loudspeaker. “What they did to us twice, they are doing today in Ukraine. And today Georgian heroes are fighting and dying in Ukraine! And they come here, relax and say that we are occupiers!”

The Georgian Maritime Transport Agency previously announced that the liner is operated by the Turkish company Miray Cruises International, which sails under the flag of Palau, and that its arrival is of a commercial nature.

According to the agency, the ship’s owner is registered in Seychelles under the name “Goodwin Shipping Limited” and is not subject to international sanctions.

Russia’s state propaganda channel Rossiya reported that the Astoria Grande was carrying 850 passengers.

2023-07-28 07:15:00
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